Bliddal, Mette

Cesta, Carolyn E.

Handal, Marte

Karlsson, Pär

Reutfors, Johan

Skurtveit, Svetlana Ondrasova

Tiger, Mikael

Wesselhoeft, Rikke

Journal of Affective Disorders

English

PubMed

OBJECTIVE: To study patterns of antidepressant, anxiolytic, and hypnotic drug utilization in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The monthly observed number of prescription fills of antidepressants, benzodiazepines and benzodiazepine-related hypnotics (BZ), and other anxiolytics and hypnotics (OAH) per population in 2020 were compared with predicted numbers based on analysis of covariance of prescription fills during 2015–2019. RESULTS: In March 2020, there was an increased number of prescription fills for antidepressants, anxiolytics, and hypnotics in youths and adults aged 20–59 years in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Antidepressant prescription fills increased between 13.5 % and 31.3 % at the end of 2020 in all age groups in Denmark and 17.4 % in youths in Norway. BZ drug prescription fills increased by 20.8 % at the end of 2020 in the 20–59 year age group in Denmark and decreased by 16.7 % in youths in Sweden. A general increase of prescription fills of OAH at the end of 2020 was observed in all countries (range 24.0–80.0 % in Denmark, 11.5–30.8 % in Norway, and 9.1–12.1 % in Sweden). Increases of prescription fills of OAH occurred earlier in Denmark. LIMITATIONS: Aggregated data with lack of information on indications. CONCLUSIONS: Peaks of utilization of antidepressants, anxiolytics, and hypnotics observed in March 2020 may reflect medication stock piling. Increased antidepressant drug utilization in Denmark and in Norwegian youths together with the general increase in OAH utilization in the Scandinavian countries in late 2020 may indicate an increase of symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as disturbed sleep

Skurtveit, Svetlana

PubMed Central

Utilization of antidepressants, anxiolytics, and hypnotics during the COVID-19 pandemic in Scandinavia

Mikael Tiger

Rikke Wesselhoeft

Pär Karlsson

Marte Handal

Mette Bliddal

Carolyn E. Cesta

Svetlana Skurtveit

Johan Reutfors

Crossref

Objective: To study patterns of antidepressant, anxiolytic, and hypnotic drug utilization in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The monthly observed number of prescription fills of antidepressants, benzodiazepines and benzodiazepine-related hypnotics (BZ), and other anxiolytics and hypnotics (OAH) per population in 2020 were compared with predicted numbers based on analysis of covariance of prescription fills during 2015–2019. Results: In March 2020, there was an increased number of prescription fills for antidepressants, anxiolytics, and hypnotics in youths and adults aged 20–59 years in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Antidepressant prescription fills increased between 13.5 % and 31.3 % at the end of 2020 in all age groups in Denmark and 17.4 % in youths in Norway. BZ drug prescription fills increased by 20.8 % at the end of 2020 in the 20–59 year age group in Denmark and decreased by 16.7 % in youths in Sweden. A general increase of prescription fills of OAH at the end of 2020 was observed in all countries (range 24.0–80.0 % in Denmark, 11.5–30.8 % in Norway, and 9.1–12.1 % in Sweden). Increases of prescription fills of OAH occurred earlier in Denmark. Limitations: Aggregated data with lack of information on indications. Conclusions: Peaks of utilization of antidepressants, anxiolytics, and hypnotics observed in March 2020 may reflect medication stock piling. Increased antidepressant drug utilization in Denmark and in Norwegian youths together with the general increase in OAH utilization in the Scandinavian countries in late 2020 may indicate an increase of symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as disturbed sleep.</p

Syddansk Universitets Forskerportal

Folkehelseinstituttet

https://findresearcher.sdu.dk/ws/files/215876378/Open_Access_Version.pdf

Utilization of antidepressants, anxiolytics, and hypnotics during the COVID-19 pandemic in Scandinavia

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Syddansk Universitets Forskerportal

Syddansk Universitets Forskerportal

Syddansk Universitets Forskerportal

Folkehelseinstituttet